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256 Series I Volume XIX-I Serial 27 - Antietam Part I

Page 256 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.

into the possession of some one desirous of military 'eclat without incurring personal danger, so that they cannot be reclaimed by the captors.

Here Captain Bachelle, Company F, fell, leading his men in the pursuit. He was a true soldier, a gallant officer, and a faithful man. He never shrank from danger nor flinched from any duty. He fell as he desired, with his harness on, cheering his men to victory. His body rests underneath the sod he lost his life to win.

The loss of the regiment in the engagement was as follows: Commissioned officers, 3 killed, 5 wounded; enlisted men, 23 killed, 121 wounded; aggregate, 152.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWD. S. BRAGG.

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer.

Captain J. P. WOOD,

Assistant Adjutant General, Gibbon's Brigade.


No. 26. Report of Captain John B. Callis, Seventh Wisconsin Infantry, of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.


HDQRS. SEVENTH REGIMENT WISCONSIN VOLUNTEERS,
Near Boonsborough, Md., September 15, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the pat taken by the Seventh Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers in the action of the 14th of September, 1862, at South Mountain, Md.:

About 5 o'clock p. m. the Seventh Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers formed in line of battle on the north side of the turnpike. Skirmishers were thrown in advance of us, and soon encountered the skirmishers of the enemy. A sharp skirmish fire ensues. The regiment then broke by the right of companies to the front, and advance, keeping 100 paces in rear of the line of skirmishers. We advanced in this way through a corn-field for half a mile, and came about into an open field. Here the skirmishers met such a sharp fire from the sharpshooters of the enemy, that it was difficult for them to advance farther, the open field affording no shelter or protection against the sharp fire from the bank. The regiment then formed a line of battle, and advanced, our left touching the pike, our right extending north to the edge of the woods on the slope of the mountain. The enemy opened a destructive enfilading fire from a stone fence on our left, at a short range, which drew the fire from our regiment to the left. We kept advancing and firing until another enfilading fire from the woods on our right, and a direct fire from behind a stone fence in our front, shoed our close proximity to the enemy's line of battle. Our men returned the fire with great vigor. The Sixth Wisconsin Regiment was then in line in our rear some 50 paces. Colonel Bragg, seeing the destructive fire under which we were fighting, doublequicked the Sixth Wisconsin Regiment to our right and opened on the enemy, thereby drawing the enfilading fire hitherto received by us from the woods on our right.

Colonel Fairchild, of the Second Wisconsin Regiment, at this juncture was a little to rear and left of the pike, with the Second Wisconsin Regiment. He also seeing our perilous condition, brought his regiment for


Page 256 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.